Mr. Darren Goodall (MBA) joined the Maarif Head Office team in August 2023 as the Head of Safeguarding, providing executive leadership to the Occupational Health and Safety, Child Protection and Wellbeing departments for all Maarif Education schools. Prior to moving into Head Office, Darren was the Director of Quality and Development at Ajyal International School in Dhahran, where he also assumed the Child Protection Officer (CPO) role for the school.
Darren comes with an extensive background in educational, regulatory services and safeguarding executive leadership, having worked for over 25 years in both the private and public sectors in Australia, the United Arab Emirates and now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where, prior to joining Maarif Education, he worked as the Director of Operations at a private school in Jeddah for over 2.5 years.
During this time, Darren was also the school’s CPO and the Council of International Schools (CIS) coordinator during the entire team evaluation process, which resulted in the school successfully receiving full CIS school accreditation.
In addition to being a former Australian police officer and having worked extensively with children at risk
for over 25 years, Darren is a qualified English, Humanities and German teacher (Australia) and has also
taught in local and private schools in both Australia and the Middle East for over 10 years.
Darren’s strategic safeguarding vision and mission is centered around three (3) core foundational pillars
- Systems, Capability and Governance. This strategic approach focuses on ensuring that Maarif Education’s safeguarding business operations have the right system practices in place to drive organizational outcomes, have the right people in the right positions performing the right work, and use clear and concise quality assurance measures to collect and analyze business data to genuinely inform continuous improvement outcomes across all safeguarding departments and functions.
Expert insights and discussions on creating safe, supportive environments that nurture the holistic development of young minds.
6-7 October, 2024
This workshop, delivered by Be GLAD in partnership with Spacetoon Education, will highlight a Research-Based AND Field-Tested instructional system that increases critical skills, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This innovative system has been used extensively to transform districts within the famed Silicon Valley of California and across the US for over 20 years, producing creative problem-solvers of the future. With recent developments in technology, this award-winning instructional system is now moving to empower educators throughout the Middle East and Africa. In this workshop, you’ll learn 5 fundamental instructional strategies from the most effective system and the process to gain mastery of key indicators of success to achieve academic excellence
Innovative programs that promote equity, access, and quality in education and the creative strategies they use to navigate funding challenges and achieve impactful results. This session is packed with thought-provoking discussions and practical takeaways, offering a glimpse into how non-profits are transforming education to shape a brighter future for teaching and learning.
This session brings together content creators who excel in delivering knowledge through storytelling, by weaving complex ideas into engaging narratives.
This discussion focuses on the pivotal role of vocational training in addressing the skills gap and equipping the workforce with the necessary competencies to thrive in today's dynamic job market and how it is enhancing employability and entrepreneurship. We will share insights on effective vocational training models, collaborations between educational institutions and industries, and strategies for preparing individuals for success in the evolving workforce.
Points of Discussions:
Art Residencies as Catalysts for Artistic Growth (skill development, focus and immersion, feedback and critique)
Residencies and Professional Development (networking opportunities, exhibitions and visibility)
Art Residencies as Spaces for Reflection and Conceptual Development (time for reflection, development for new ideas)
Residencies and Education (integration with art education, mentorship and guidance)
Challenges and opportunities (funding, support, residency models)
